


Float Serve

by YourTearsForMyFears



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Volleyball Dorks in Love, maybe a part two eventually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:40:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26966089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourTearsForMyFears/pseuds/YourTearsForMyFears
Summary: I've had this as a draft for literal months but I want to write a continuation of this eventually so maybe posting here will motivate me to do it??? Anyway enjoy I love these two a whole lot~~
Relationships: Tsukishima Kei & Yamaguchi Tadashi, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

The first time Tsukki realized it, he felt like he’d been hit by a freight train. It started off simply, of course, with small gestures egging on his confusion. He couldn’t understand why his stomach flipped when Yamaguchi turned to smile at him, or why his face felt like it was on fire when the shorter boy reached up to brush an eyelash off of his cheek.

It all came to a head when he and Yamaguchi stayed late after school one day. Their teacher had gone over an especially difficult lesson and Yamaguchi took it upon himself to take extra notes before heading home. Tsukishima slouched forward in his seat as he waited for the other boy to finish. A few minutes passed and the classroom was filled with the soft sounds of pen scratching on paper. Tsukki sighed impatiently and turned his head to make a snide remark when his mouth went dry. Yamaguchi was slightly hunched over his notebook, his face twisted in obvious concentration as his hand flew across the paper. Rays of sun caressed the boy’s olive skin beautifully. The light bounced off of his dark hair, giving it a halo-like shine. But what really struck Tsukishima was how the late afternoon sunlight danced across his skin, kissing the light freckles that decorated his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. He moved as if a man possessed, his hand reaching to follow the shape of his cheekbones. 

Yamaguchi saw the movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up directly at Tsukki, tilting his head questioningly. Tsukishima felt the blood rush to his cheeks before he quickly withdrew his hand.

“There was a bug, but it’s gone now,” Tsukki explained lamely, praying that he didn’t question him.

Yamaguchi shrugged indifferently before stretching out and packing away his notebook, signaling that he was finished and ready to go home. Tsukishima cursed inwardly as he got up to walk home with him. The word home didn’t feel right to describe his house. It was merely a dwelling, a place to sleep, eat, and sleep again. No, his house wasn’t his home. That’s when it hit him. Being near Yamaguchi felt like home.

A fire began kindling in his heart, only a few sparks at first. But a few weeks later, when Yamaguchi inched closer to him on the sofa during a scary movie, the fire grew. It roared and spread when he leaned his head into his shoulder, too scared to look up at the screen again. With a small gulp and a sigh, flicked the tv off and dragged Yamaguchi upstairs for bed, claiming it was too late to keep watching. Yamaguchi sighed in relief, too embarrassed to admit he was too scared to continue watching. He settled into bed first, allowing Tsukki to shut off the lights and set the alarm for the next day. 

They often shared a bed during sleepovers, a byproduct of being so close for so many years. Tsukki usually never gave this a second thought. What did it matter? It was just a bed. Just sleeping. He never realized how intimate it was until then. He was hyper aware of Yamaguchi being only inches away. His heart hammered as he curled in on himself, facing away from him. Minutes passed by and the only sound in the room was their soft and steady breaths.

As Tsukki finally allowed himself to relax and let sleep take him, he heard Yamaguchi softly whisper, “Please, let’s just be friends like this forever.”

The ache hit him in waves, a cold feeling overtaking him and sending shivers near his neck. Was this all they would be? Childhood friends that slowly grow apart as they start their separate lives and families? The image of Yamaguchi with a faceless partner floated through his mind. The ache hit harder, the cold feeling threatening to overtake the fire in his heart. The flame inside him flickered slightly, but nothing could put it out. If this was all they could be, he would make the most of it. 

He answered Yamaguchi simply. “Shut up Yamaguchi, of course we can. Go to sleep.”

The first time Yamaguchi realized it, he shrugged it off nonchalantly. It was no earth shattering moment for him, he’d always admired Tsukki almost reverently. He was a big part of his life after all. He’d always felt a certain thrill in his chest when he saw him. It came as no shock that it slowly progressed into something more than excitement.

If Yamaguchi had to pinpoint when that exact moment was, it would have to be when Tsukki first offered to walk home with him. It had been late, too late to be out alone. They walked the same route they always had, occasionally chatting about their days or pointing out a constellation in the sky. Yamaguchi turned to say goodbye as they approached the crossroads where they usually parted, only to find Tsukki was walking the wrong way. When he questioned him, Tsukki simply said it was too late for Yamaguchi to be walking alone in the dark. That’s when the murmur in his chest picked up a different pace. Yamaguchi paused for a split second as he marveled at him. This was new. This was stronger than the excitement he usually held in his heart. When they finally made it to Yamaguchi’s house, he walked him all the way to the door. Yamaguchi turned to thank him, stumbling back a little when he saw Tsukki was much closer than he thought. He smirked at him, a small glint in his eye as he patted him on the head once, twice, a third time before ruffling his hair softly. Stunned, Yamaguchi could barely muster up a goodbye as he watched him turn and wave dismissively, making his way back to the crossroads home. 

From that point on there was always a thunder in his chest when he saw him. He started leaning into him ever so slightly when he laughed, let their hands brush too often for it to be accidental. Yamaguchi was always careful never to push it with him though. He was perfectly happy with things the way they were, just being friends with Tsukki was enough for him and he didn’t want to give into the false hope that they could be more. During a particular sleepover, however, he thought he pushed the boundaries too far when a horror movie prompted him to hide his face in Tsukki’s shoulder. He froze, the thundering in his chest growing in fear as he heard him sigh and turn the movie off. Had he gone too far? Timidly, Yamaguchi slid into bed and curled into himself, purposefully facing away from him. He kept quiet as Tsukki got ready for bed, his heart racing when he felt him pull back the covers and mumble a quick goodnight. 

I have to fix this, he thought to himself. He needed Tsukki in his life. He scolded himself internally for jeopardizing his source of stability in his life. He needed a promise that they’d always be together, even if they could never cross that line into something deeper. He inhaled quietly.

“Please, let’s just be friends like this forever,” he whispered out, his voice trembling slightly.

It felt like an eternity before Tsukki answered him with a soft, “Shut up Yamaguchi, of course we can. Go to sleep.”

Yamaguchi revelled in the waves of relief washing over him. Maybe he hadn’t ruined this afterall. The relief was short lived though as a dull pain tore its way through his heart. By cementing Tsukki in his life with his promise, he’d also been rejected from ever moving forward. The boundary seemed more solid than ever and it felt like a pit in his stomach. He shook himself slightly and sighed, remembering to be grateful that he had Tsukki in any form. The thought comforted him slightly. He closed his eyes, urging sleep to overtake him as he ignored the soft murmur in his chest that was now aching painfully.

A few weeks have passed since Tsukishima’s world turned upside down. Yamaguchi was always at the forefront of his mind, no matter what he was doing. Most nights when he couldn’t sleep, he found himself admiring the stars that were scattered across the sky. He sighed as he looked up at the clusters of stars, the familiar flame in his heart flickering when the constellations reminded him of the freckles that littered Yamaguchi’s nose. In the mornings, he often found himself reaching towards Yamaguchi’s side of his bed. He felt a fluttering in his chest when he waited for him at the crossroads now. He caught himself looking towards Yamaguchi’s house more often, desperate for a glimpse of him. Tsukki felt like he was seeing him in an entirely new light. Has Yamaguchi always had such a musical laugh? Did he always move with such grace? Has there always been a shine in his eyes when he looked up at him so endearingly? Tsukishima found himself studying the shorter boy in awe. The thrill of learning new things about him only acted as kindling for the flame inside him. With this though, he found that Yamaguchi had been acting almost cautiously around him now. Their hands didn’t brush as often when they were walking. He leaned away from him and covered his mouth when laughing. He made himself scarce around Tsukki after school, no longer coming by for sleepovers. When he brought it up to him, Yamaguchi only claimed he had to catch up on studying. Tsukki saw right through this thinly veiled excuse though. He needed him back. He found himself craving his best friend's presence. 

“Sorry Tsukki, I really need to hit the books at the library tonight. I won’t be able to walk with you after school today,” Yamaguchi apologized feverishly, almost guiltily. 

He simply nodded to the shorter boy, watching as he mumbled a quick goodbye and started walking towards the library. Tsukki didn’t move for a few moments, weighing his options. The fire in his heart crackled and sparked angrily as he imagined Yamaguchi putting more distance between the two of them. How much longer until they weren’t talking at all anymore? Would he even spare him a glance when they passed in the halls? Tsukishima made his mind up right then and there. He needed him and he couldn’t waste another day without him. He started walking, following the same path Yamaguchi took only minutes ago.

The cool air of the library sent goosebumps up Tsukki’s arms when he walked in. He nodded briskly to the librarian at the front desk before making his way towards a room designated for studying. To his surprise, the room was mostly empty, and only a few students remained, papers and books spread out across their tables. He checked his watch, quickly realizing it was later than he thought it was. The sun was setting through the building’s windows, bathing the quiet room with soft pink and yellow light. After another quick sweep of the room, he looked out towards the seemingly endless bookcases that took up the rest of the building. With a sigh he made his way out of the room and towards the towering bookshelves. He snaked his way through the shelves, walking softly so as to not disturb the other students. He stopped when he spotted a small figure slouched on the floor, small piles of books making a type of barricade around him. Tsukki gently cleared his throat, careful not to startle him too much. Yamaguchi looked up with wide eyes, clearly thrown off guard by his presence. 

“Looks like you have a lot on your plate,” Tsukki said sarcastically. His words were tinted with hurt and betrayal. His suspicions were confirmed; Yamaguchi had been deliberately avoiding him all this time.

“If you didn’t want to walk home with me you could have just said so.” Tsukishima made to turn away from him, surprised by how the confrontation sent that familiar ache throughout his body.

Yamaguchi scrambled up quickly, tripping over his bookbag in his haste. He tumbled forward, grabbing onto Tsukki’s sweater for balance. He looked up at him with watery eyes, the beating in his chest reverberating throughout his body. 

Tsukki looked down at him, instantaneously forgetting whatever venomous remark he was about to make. He’d never seen Yamaguchi in this way. He looked so small, so vulnerable with tears threatening to spill over onto his cheeks. His mouth went dry as he felt his heart burning. It was too hot, overheating his entire body as the fire consumed him entirely. His resolve crumbled quickly as he covered Yamaguchi’s hand with his own.

“Please Yamaguchi, please tell me,” his voice trembled quietly. Waves of heat continued to overtake him. He needed an explanation. He wanted a confession. 

Yamaguchi’s hand tightened around his sweater at Tsukki’s plea. The beating in his chest grew to an almost deafening volume. His body shook with every beat. He knew he owed Tsukki an explanation. His answer to him was simple.

“I’m in love with you.” The words spilled out of him before he could stop himself. 

Time came to a stop and a hush fell upon the world entirely.

Yamaguchi froze, his breath catching in his throat as he waited for Tsukki’s reaction. Tsukki swayed slightly before his hand tightened around his. Then Yamaguchi was being pulled forward into his open arms. His face landed squarely in Tsukki’s chest, the soft wool of his sweater brushing against his face. Heat radiated into him, and Yamaguchi felt like he was on fire. The boundary between them crumbled and faded into dust. 

“Thank you, god thank you,” Tsukki sobbed softly, “I’m in love with you too.”

Tsukishima held the shorter boy closer to him as waves of relief crashed over him. His heart was beating impossibly loud, leaving a ringing in his ears. They stayed in an embrace as time slowly came to be again. The world came to life again. 

Tsukki rocked Yamaguchi slowly as they soaked in the relief they shared. The tension between them melted away, the feeling doomed to be forgotten forever as the pair basked in their newfound bliss. Tsukki’s breath caught in his throat when Yamaguchi looked up at him, tears glistening against the freckles that dotted his cheeks. His eyes conveyed a message only Tsukki could decipher as they held each other tighter before parting ever so slightly.

Tsukishima cleared his throat and blinked away the tears he felt welling up.  
“We should probably clean up and start walking home, it’s getting dark out,” he said hoarsely, suddenly aware of just how late it was getting.

Yamaguchi nodded, carefully detangling himself from Tsukki’s hold before crouching down to clean up where he had been sitting. He tried grabbing his book bag, but Tsukishima was quicker than him, lifting up the heavy bag with ease. Yamaguchi’s cheeks flushed with color, surprised at the act of affection. Tsukishima merely smirked in response, his own face glowing slightly. 

The pair quickly made their way out of the library, still savoring the calm flowing through their bodies. The night sky welcomed them, the stars and the moon rejoicing with them as they lit up the sky. As they walked farther from the campus, Tsukki silently offered Yamaguchi his arm. He accepted it shyly, slowly looping his arm through and squeezing slightly as a wordless thanks. Conversation flowed between them easily now as they fell into the same routine, asking each other about their days as they took the same streets they always had. And yet everything had changed. A near constant smile graced Tsukki’s face now and his words were tinted with unabashed admiration. Yamaguchi laughed freely again, leaning on the taller boy and boldly squeezing his arm. They walked at a snail’s pace, neither of them in a rush to part as they talked about nothing. As they talked about everything. 

Eventually they reached the crossroads where they usually parted. They didn’t stop though as they both made their way to Yamaguchi’s house. They walked together without a second thought, their thoughts in sync as they made to draw out every minute they had together.   
Tsukishima led Yamaguchi to his house and stopped at the porch step, unsure of how to part. Yamaguchi hopped up on the first step and turned so he was almost at eye level with Tsukki. He took in the sight of him, happy, flushed, and his. Tsukishima pulled him into a hug, resting his head on his shoulders and bringing a hand up to lightly ruffle his hair.

“Let’s go somewhere tomorrow, just you and me,” Tsukki suggested. 

Yamaguchi audibly gulped. “What did you have in mind?” 

Tsukki pulled away slightly so he could face the shorter boy, pleased by the pink flush that dusted his cheeks. 

He rolled his eyes playfully. “I’m asking you on a date, Yamaguchi. Do you accept?”

Yamaguchi ducked his head as embarrassment flooded his body. His heart soared when he felt Tsukki dip a finger under his chin, prompting him to look up at him. 

“Yes Tsukki,” he whispered with his heart caught in his throat.

Tsukishima grinned like the cat that got the canary. He pulled Yamaguchi in for one last hug before leaving. 

“I’ll meet you at our crossroads at 3 then,” Tsukishima said as he turned away from him.

Yamaguchi was only able to mutter out a noise of agreement before rushing inside. He closed the door behind him and slumped to the floor with his face covering his hands. His cheeks hurt from smiling, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop. He had a date.


	2. Sweater Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You guys motivated me to add onto this story that I thought would only be a one-shot! Thank you so much for all the comments and kudos you are all so kind. I still have plenty of ideas for these boys so expect another chapter at some point!

Tsukishima woke up to a gust of cold wind blowing softly through his window. Shivering, he sat up to shut his window quickly before diving back into his blankets. He shut his eyes and sighed, eager to chase down the sleep that escaped him. His room was filled with silence as Tsukki lulled himself back to sleep with thoughts of Yamaguchi. Yamaguchi…

Tsukishima sat up abruptly and ripped his blankets off his body. His heart began beating frantically as he recalled yesterday’s events. Memories of the shorter boy flashed through his mind as he remembered how stunned Yamaguchi looked when he agreed to go on a date. He buried his face in his hands and groaned, cursing himself for putting on such a facade. In reality, Tsukki had no idea what this date he proposed would consist of. The only thing he knew for certain, was that it had to be perfect. He would accept nothing less for Yamaguchi.

He dragged himself out of bed and into his bathroom. He looked into the mirror and was astonished at his appearance in the mirror. His face was flushed red, no doubt thanks to his thoughts of Yamaguchi. His hair was messy but this was no surprise, he had always been particularly prone to bedhead. No, what stood out to Tsukishima was the way his eyes seemed to shine with a hidden look he had never seen before. He smiled to his reflection. It must be love.

Tsukishima found himself ready to go far too early. He flopped onto his bed and looked over at his clock, willing the digital numbers to move faster. But alas, they refused and time continued to tick at its own pace, leaving Tsukki with about an hour and a half to kill. His nerves only grew as time moved slowly and he found himself feeling almost homesick. Normally, to calm himself he would just go over to Yamaguchi’s house. Time seemed to move quickly there and he felt free. He felt a pull in his heart. He looked to the clock again, stunned to see that only two minutes had passed since he last checked. With that he made his mind up and rushed to his front door.

Yamaguchi was slumped down in a chair in his room trying his hardest not to look at the clock when he heard a knock at his front door. He rushed to his window and his heart leaped when he saw it was Tsukishima. He took his stairs two steps at a time and launched himself at the door, nearly ripping it from its hinges with the force in which he pulled it. 

Tsukishima scratched at the back of his neck nervously. 

“I just couldn’t wait anymore,” he admitted sheepishly, “Would you like to go out a little earlier than we had planned?”

Yamaguchi wrapped his arms around Tsukki’s neck and mumbled a quick agreement before pulling away to look up at him.

“I couldn’t wait either,” he confessed with a grin.

Tsukishima looked at the boy in his arms in wonder for a moment before smirking.

“Let’s go then.”

Together the boys made their way through town. Surprisingly, it was quiet with not very many people out. Tsukishima attributed that fact to the weather. The sky was entirely grey and he prayed silently that the rain would hold back until the end of the date. Together the pair walked through a small shopping district. They went window shopping and occasionally popped in and out of a few stores, but nothing held their interest for long. There was a sense of awkwardness that fell upon the couple. Tsukishima kicked himself for not planning something more romantic. To his credit, he took Yamaguchi here to buy him something, a keepsake for their first official date together. But Yamaguchi never expressed any interest in anything for Tsukishima to buy for him. Unfortunately, it felt no different than hanging out just as they always had to Tsukki. His hand itched to hold the shorter boy’s, but he was worried Yamaguchi would frown upon public displays of affection, no matter how few people were out to see.

Eventually they made it out of the shopping district with empty hands, much to Tsukishima’s chagrin. The couple wandered together as they talked about meaningless things like school, their friends, and the weather. They made their way to a large park where Tsukki had planned for them to watch the sunset. A plan that collapsed immediately as the pair realized that the sky was still a gloomy dark grey.

Tsukishima faced Yamaguchi with an apologetic look, but before he could say anything, he felt water hit his forehead. Tsukishima looked up and felt his heart sink as the angry grey clouds above them erupted. Raindrops fell slowly at first, decorating the sidewalk under them with splotches. Tsukki quickly grabbed Yamaguchi’s hand and pulled him towards a small gazebo in the middle of the park. Together they ran as the rain fell faster and faster. Tsukishima pulled Yamaguchi under the gazebo quickly as the storm picked up. As they caught their breath, Tsukishima dried his glasses and analyzed Yamaguchi quietly. Anxiety gnawed a pit in his stomach as he realized they were both soaked from the rain. He couldn’t believe this was how their first date turned out. He opened his mouth to offer an apology when Yamaguchi turned to him with a bright smile.

“Isn’t this just the best?” Yamaguchi beamed, “I just love this weather!”

Tsukki felt his mouth run dry as he watched Yamaguchi shake raindrops out of his hair, giggling the entire time. The pit in his stomach began to unfurl slowly before disappearing completely. A smile tugged at the edges of his mouth as he watched Yamaguchi look out at the rain in wonder. He realized, with a start, that this date was as perfect as it could have been. He didn’t need some grand romantic gesture to show Yamaguchi he loved him, he only needed to be with him. Yamaguchi was both his best friend and his boyfriend, of course their date had felt as if they were hanging out. Yamaguchi brought him the peace and comfort only a soulmate could. His body warmed up happily as he watched his very own sunshine bask in the moment. 

He reached out for Yamaguchi’s hand. They fit together perfectly and Tsukishima rubbed his thumb delicately against the back of Yamaguchi’s hand. Startled, Yamaguchi looked up at Tsukki questioningly. He stayed silent as he gently pulled the younger boy out into the rain.

Yamaguchi giggled as he let Tsukishima pull him back into the rain, throwing his head back to catch droplets as they fell. Wordlessly, Tsukishima pulled the shorter boy flush to his chest and began rocking back and forth to some tune in his head. Yamaguchi kept one hand in Tsukki’s and the other behind the taller boy's neck while Tsukishima snaked his free hand to Yamaguchi’s waist. Together they waltzed in sync as the rain continued to pitter patter around them.

Tsukishima backed away for a moment and spun Yamaguchi around. Yamaguchi threw his head back in laughter; he had never felt so free. He spun back into Tsukishima and looked up at him, slightly startled as he realized how close their faces were so suddenly. Tsukki paused their dance as he looked down at the boy he loved. His eyes sparkled with anticipation and his face was coloring up into the prettiest shade of pink. He looked down at his lips before looking back up to meet his eyes, only to see that Yamaguchi’s own gaze had drifted to his lips. Heart pounding in his ears, he leaned in closer, pausing slightly to give Yamaguchi a chance to pull away, before finally pressing his mouth against his. He felt Yamaguchi freeze for a moment before melting against him. Their lips moved in sync, as if they were made for each other, a thought that sent a thrill through Tsukishima’s body. Slowly, they pulled away and rested their foreheads together. 

“I love you, Tadashi,” Tsukishima said, a small thrill going through his body at the use of his lover’s given name.

Yamaguchi looked up at Tsukki with watery eyes.

“I love you too, Kei,” he replied back, his voice cracking slightly.

They looked at each other for a few moments, reveling in this moment of intimacy, before Tsukishima pulled Yamaguchi in again to continue their waltz in the rain.


End file.
